1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aerodynamic fairing for use with a crew shell. More specifically, the present invention relates to a removably mountable aerodynamic fairing for use with a crew racing shell to decrease aerodynamic drag resulting from head winds acting on the crew shell, rowers, and equipment disposed on the crew shell.
2. Description of the Related Art
Crew racing is a highly competitive sport in which races are often won or lost by hundredths of a second. Technological research in the area of crew racing has largely been concentrated in four major areas of racing shell technology. These areas involve hull shape, hull materials, oar design, and blade design. That research seeks to minimize hydrodynamic drag that acts on the crew shell and make crew equipment stronger, stiffer and lighter. Efforts also are constantly being made to improve the technique and conditioning of the rowers. The result of such research has been dramatically improved racing times.
However, one area of crew racing shell research that has heretofore been largely ignored is that involving the aerodynamic forces that act upon the crew racing shell. Particularly when a crew shell, its rowers and equipment mounted on the crew shell are subjected to head winds (including head winds with a crosswind component), a large amount of aerodynamic drag develops and acts to decrease the efficiency and velocity of the crew shell. To date, such forces have not been considered important because aerodynamic drag on the crew shell were deemed a relatively small source of inefficiency contributing to increased racing times. However, as technology research in the traditional areas described above approaches a point of diminishing returns, research and design improvements directed to reducing aerodynamic drag have been become increasingly attractive.